SPCA Cape Breton branch to house new spay, neuter clinic

SYDNEY — A spay, neuter clinic will soon be built at the Cape Breton branch of the SPCA.

A grant of $181,000 from PetSmart Charities of Canada will be used for construct the clinic and supply the initial equipment required.

The clinic is expected to open this fall.

The clinic will ensure that all animals adopted through the Cape Breton SPCA are spayed and neutered before they are adopted into a new home. It will provide low cost spay and neuter services to both low income individuals and families, community-based animal welfare organizations and trap neuter release groups across the island.

The Nova Scotia SPCA opened its first clinic at the provincial animal shelter in May 2013. It was the first of its kind in the province and was able to perform more than 2,000 surgeries within its first year while operating only three days per week. The Cape Breton clinic is anticipated to be operating four days per week and it is expected to perform more than 4,000 surgeries annually once the clinic is established within the community.

“I believe this is one of the most significant projects ever undertaken in Cape Breton to address companion animal homelessness and overpopulation," said Jeff Dursi, the Cape Breton shelter manager, in a news release.

"We will be providing low cost spay and neuter services to low-income residents where veterinary care can be cost prohibitive and to donor-driven community organizations where high volume spay and neuter services help to accomplish their missions of tackling severe overpopulation."

“We are changing the landscape of our shelter in Cape Breton," said Sandra Flemming, director of Animal Care, Nova Scotia SPCA. “Knowing these animals are spayed and neutered means knowing they are not contributing to the overpopulation problems, makes them less likely to be returned into the system, and means we are setting up our adopters to be responsible pet owners."

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